Benefits and drawbacks to e-readers

April 12, 2011

E-readers are a great convenience that plenty of people swear by. You can have all of your books in one place and they are incredibly portable. Sometimes there’s nothing tougher than needing to lug around loads of large books, however, they’re not made for everyone. Continue reading to learn about some of the benefits and drawbacks of e-readers.

What are the options?

The Amazon Kindle, Sony Reader and Barnes & Noble Nook are the most popular of the e-readers. Although some e-readers have Internet capabilities, their primary purpose is to display e-books.

Some people are also utilizing tablets like the iPad for their e-reader functions. However, these tablets typically do much more than just display e-books.

Pros

E-readers are extremely portable, which is ideal for anyone who likes to read during vacation or a business trip

Yet another travel bonus – if you are in a foreign country, you can still download an e-book in the language you have chosen, instead of searching for an accommodating bookstore.

Books are frequently less expensive than you will find in regular bookstores.

Privacy – you almost certainly don’t want everybody to know if you’re reading a self-help book. If you’re using an e-reader, they won’t be able to tell.

All of your books are in one place.

Cons

Depending on the type of e-reader or tablet, you might not be able to read in direct sunlight due to screen glare.

Cost – although you may pay less for books than you normally would, e-readers typically cost upwards of $140.

If you’re accustomed to shopping in used bookstores, these books will cost far more than you’re accustomed to spending.

Lending books isn’t always a choice.

All of your books are in a single place – if you lose your e-reader, you’re losing all of your books if you do not buy a replacement.

In general, when you’re determining whether or not an e-reader meets your needs, it’s all about taste. Some prefer the simplicity of having all of their books in one convenient gadget. Others like the weight and feel of a book and like to show off the books they’ve read on a bookshelf somewhere.

For more comparisons of e-readers and traditional books, take a look at this article.